S 1968 ISCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

112th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

1st SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

S. 1968CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program to increase accountability with respect to outcomes of transportation investments, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

December 8, 2011CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. WARNER (for himself and Mr. KIRK) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and TransportationCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

A BILLCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program to increase accountability with respect to outcomes of transportation investments, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. MOVING TOWARD TRANSPORTATION ACCOUNTABILITY.

Chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘Sec. 5341. Transportation accountability

‘(a) Definitions- In this section:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION- The term ‘metropolitan planning organization’ means an organization designated as a metropolitan planning organization under section 5303(d) of this title or section 134(d) of title 23.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) PILOT PROGRAM- The term ‘pilot program’ means the pilot program established under this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) PROGRAM PARTICIPANT- The term ‘program participant’ means a State or metropolitan planning organization selected by the Secretary to participate in the pilot program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION GOALS- The term ‘national transportation goals’ includes--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) improving the connection of individuals and goods throughout the United States;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) providing improved and efficient access to jobs and services throughout metropolitan areas;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) promoting economic growth and enhanced commercial productivity;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) integrating energy security and environmental protection objectives with transportation policy; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) improving safety by reducing fatalities and injuries.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT- The term ‘transportation investment’ means Federal funding for a project included in a transportation program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(6) TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM- The term ‘transportation program’ means a plan or strategy prepared by a metropolitan planning organization or a State for transportation systems and facilities in the metropolitan planning area or the State, including a transportation plan, transportation improvement program, statewide transportation plan, or statewide transportation improvement program developed under section 5303 or 5304 of this title or section 134 or 135 of title 23.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Establishment of Pilot Program-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall establish a pilot program under which the Secretary shall conduct case studies of States and metropolitan planning organizations that are designed to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) provide more detailed, in-depth analysis and data collection with respect to transportation programs; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) apply rigorous methods of measuring and addressing the effectiveness of program participants in achieving national transportation goals.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) PRELIMINARY REQUIREMENTS-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) SOLICITATION- The Secretary shall solicit applications to participate in the pilot program from States and metropolitan planning organizations.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) NOTIFICATION- A State or metropolitan planning organization that desires to participate in the pilot program shall notify the Secretary of such desire before a date determined by the Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) SELECTION-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) NUMBER OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS- The Secretary shall select to participate in the pilot program--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(I) not fewer than 3, and not more than 5, States; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(II) not fewer than 3, and not more than 5, metropolitan planning organizations.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) TIMING- The Secretary shall select program participants not later than 3 months after the date of enactment of this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iii) DIVERSITY OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS- The Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, select program participants that represent a broad range of geographic and demographic areas (including rural and urban areas) and types of transportation programs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Case Studies-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) BASELINE REPORT- Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this section, each program participant shall submit to the Secretary a baseline report that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) describes the reporting and data collection processes of the program participant for transportation investments that are in effect on the date of the report;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) assesses how effective the program participant is in achieving national transportation goals;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) describes potential improvements to the methods and metrics used to measure the effectiveness of the program participant in achieving national transportation goals and the hindrances to implementing such improvements; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) includes an assessment of whether, and specific reasons why, the preparation and submission of the baseline report may be limited, incomplete, or unduly burdensome, including any recommendations for facilitating the preparation and submission of similar reports in the future.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) EVALUATION- Each program participant shall work cooperatively with the Secretary to evaluate the methods and metrics used to measure the effectiveness of the program participant in achieving national transportation goals, including by--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) considering the degree to which such methods and metrics take into account--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) the factors that influence the effectiveness of the program participant in achieving national transportation goals;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) all modes of transportation; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iii) the transportation program as a whole, rather than individual projects within the transportation program; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) identifying steps that could be used to implement the potential improvements identified under paragraph (1)(C).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) FINAL REPORT- Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this section, each program participant shall submit to the Secretary a comprehensive final report that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) contains an updated assessment of the effectiveness of the program participant in achieving national transportation goals; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) describes the ways in which the performance of the program participant in collecting and reporting data and carrying out the transportation program of the program participant has improved or otherwise changed since the date of submission of the baseline report under subparagraph (A).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) TRAINING, TECHNICAL SUPPORT, GUIDANCE-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary, in consultation with the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget, shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) provide training, technical support, and methodological guidance to program participants in--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(I) improving data collection processes; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(II) preparing the reports, and making the evaluation required under this subsection;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) facilitate coordination, collaboration, and information sharing between program participants; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iii) provide direction with respect to the nature of reports submitted by program participants, including collaborating with program participants to prepare the final report required under paragraph (3).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE- The Secretary may provide financial assistance to a program participant, as the Secretary determines is necessary to assist the program participant in carrying out the activities required under this subsection.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) COORDINATION BETWEEN STATES AND METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS- To the extent practicable, a program participant shall coordinate the activities required under this subsection--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) with the department of transportation (or equivalent agency) of the State, if the program participant is a metropolitan planning organization; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) with the metropolitan planning organizations in the State, if the program participant is a State.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(d) Federal Plan for Measuring the Effectiveness of Transportation Programs in Achieving National Transportation Goals-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 21 months after the date of enactment of this Act, and after an analysis of the case studies under subsection (c), the Secretary shall develop and implement a plan for the Department of Transportation to use outcome-oriented performance measures to evaluate the effectiveness of transportation programs in achieving national transportation goals.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) CONTENTS OF PLAN- The plan developed under paragraph (1) shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) an efficient method for reporting the effectiveness of transportation programs in achieving national transportation goals that is based on requirements applicable to States and metropolitan planning organizations under sections 5303 and 5304 of this title and sections 134 and 135 of title 23;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) effective measures of the outcome or performance of transportation programs--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) across all modes of transportation; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) with respect to the transportation program as a whole, rather than individual projects within the transportation program; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) a strategy to ensure that the Secretary continuously refines and standardizes data elements, models, and other estimating methods to steadily improve public and political confidence in the use of the outcome-oriented performance measures established under paragraph (1) as a basis for making transportation investments.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) AVAILABILITY OF PLAN- The Secretary shall make the plan developed under paragraph (1) available to the public on the website of the Department of Transportation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(e) Comprehensive Report to Congress- Not later than 21 months after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a comprehensive report on the pilot program that includes--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) a summary of the results of the case studies under subsection (c);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) the plan developed under subsection (d);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) a summary of lessons learned with respect to challenges encountered by each program participant; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) recommendations, if any, for legislation to improve--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) the guidance provided to States and metropolitan planning organizations for generating and collecting sound, outcome-based data; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) data-based performance measurement, analysis, and accountability for transportation programs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(f) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated from the Highway Trust Fund to carry out this section, $15,000,000 for the 2-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this section.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled ‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’ for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink